The present invention relates to a method capable of easily manufacturing a curved thin glass sheet and a curved joined glass sheet to which functionality is added.

A shaped glass article is provided that is ultrathin, has two surfaces and one or more edges joining the two surfaces, and a thickness between the two surfaces. The shaped ultrathin glass article has at least one curved area with a non-vanishing surface curvature with a minimal curvature radius R if no external forces are applied. A method for producing a shaped glass article is also provided that includes providing an ultrathin glass with two surfaces and one or more edges joining the two surfaces, having a thickness between the two surfaces and shaping the ultrathin glass to a shaped ultrathin glass article by forming at least one curved area having a non-vanishing surface curvature with a minimal curvature radius R if no external forces are applied to the shaped ultrathin glass article.

A tool for local cooling by contact of a glass sheet at a temperature higher than 450° C., known as a contact tool, includes a contact face suitable for coming into contact with the glass sheet, the tool including an internal pipe for the circulation of a coolant, in particular air. The tool is used in a device for bending and/or cooling a glass sheet, in particular individual, the tool coming into contact with the glass sheet while it is held by a bending tool or by a cooling frame after bending. A compression zone is created that is capable of being drilled to form an edge having compressive stresses.

Automotive glass structures having curves and feature lines and methods for forming the same are provided. An example method includes applying localized heat (e.g., via a laser, heating element) to a location of a substantially planar glass structure and bending the glass structure at that location (e.g., along a line of the planar glass structure) to form a feature line in the glass structure. The bending can be formed to have a radius of curvature of between 2 mm and 5 cm. Additional layers of curved or joined glass layers may further be included to form a curved multi-layer glass structure for automotive use.

Gyroscopes are sensors that measure angular rate and angular orientation. A three-dimensional fused silica micro shell rate-integrating gyroscope is presented. One aspect of the gyroscope includes the use of optical sensors to detect motion of the resonator. The proposed gyroscope is attractive because it achieves several magnitudes higher accuracy as well as high vibration and shock insensitivity from a novel resonator design as well as other unique manufacturing processes.

A method of forming a curved mirror for a heads-up display includes providing a mirror preform including a first major surface, a second major surface, and a minor surface connecting the first and second major surfaces. The minor preform has a central portion and a peripheral portion surrounding the central portion. The method includes disposing the minor preform on a mold having a concave surface facing the second major surface and within a housing that surrounds at least a portion of the minor surface, a space being defined between the concave surface and the second major surface with a perimeter of the space being bounded by the housing, the mold comprising a ditch-type vacuum line along a periphery of the concave surface underneath the peripheral portion. The method also includes providing vacuum pressure to the space via the ditch-type vacuum line to conform the mirror preform to the concave surface.

A method for forming a flat glass into a glass component, the glass component comprising a base surface and provided with a number of formations for forming surface structural elements that can be felt by a user, is intended to ensure a particularly high mechanical load-bearing capacity of the glass component or moulded part in a particularly simple and reliable manner, even in the case of comparatively complexly configured structural elements. For this purpose, according to the invention, the flat glass is placed in a forming tool on a number of forming plungers corresponding to the intended formations and then heated to soften the material, so that the glass material assumes the contour of the base of the forming tool between the forming plungers for forming the base area.

A glass for chemical strengthening has a Young's modulus E of 70 GPa or more. The glass satisfies X.sub.1+X.sub.2+X.sub.3 being 1760 or less. Here, X.sub.1 is a numerical value equivalent to a value [unit: kPa/° C.] obtained by multiplying the Young's modulus E by an average coefficient α of thermal expansion at 50° C. to 350° C., X.sub.2 is a numeral value equivalent to a value of a temperature Tf [unit: ° C.] at which a viscosity of the glass reaches 100 MPa.Math.s, and X.sub.3 is a numerical value equivalent to a value of a difference [unit: 10.sup.5 Pa.Math.s] between the viscosity (100 MPa.Math.s) at the Tf and a viscosity η.sub.+10 at a temperature 10° C. higher than the Tf.

Embodiments of a method of cold-forming a glass article are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, the method includes bending a glass sheet over the chuck such that a first major surface of the glass sheets conforms to a bending surface of the chuck. In one or more embodiments, the method includes adhering a frame to the second major surface of the glass sheet such that at least one spacer is positioned between the glass sheet and the frame.

Embodiments of a vehicle interior system and methods for forming the same are disclosed. A glass substrate is bent to a curved shape within a mold cavity, and a liquid polymer material is delivered to the mold and is in contact with the curved glass substrate. The liquid polymer is solidified to form a polymer frame that engages the bent glass substrate, and the engagement between the frame and the glass substrate holds the glass substrate in the bent shape. The temperature of the glass substrate during the bending process and formation of the frame are maintained below the glass transition temperature of the glass substrate.